Apparatus for cooling materials



M. MATHY.

APPARATUS FOR COOLING MATERIALS.

APPUCATION FILED JuLYn, 1919.

1,385,636. lyze, 1921,

25 E""- I. I I? la SHEET //7 ve n for MUUF/C 6 N0 My M. MATHY.

APPARATUS FOR COOLING MATERIALS. APPLICATION FILED JULY17, 1919.

1,385,636. I Patented July 26, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENT OFFICE.

Mansion Marat, or Luisa, eardrum.

' nrrm'rus FOR coonmejmrnarnrsp aes a ese;

'- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that. I, MAURICE Mnrnir, manufacturer, a subject of the King of Belgium, and resident of Liege, in the Kingdom of Belgium, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating box at that point.

to Apparatus for Cooling Materials; and

do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled .in the art to which it, appertains to make and use p the same, reference being had'to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked therein, which form a part of this specification.

This invention has for its object to provide an, improved refrigerating apparatus comprising a cooling conveyer composed of an endless band for conveying the material to be cooled through a closed box through whioh'a current of cold air is arranged to flow. v The improved apparatus is characterized by the feature that the current of cold air in its passage through the box, passes first above the upper stretch of the endless band, to the end of the box, and then in its return journey passes through the lower partoithebox. I

According to the degree of cooling which it is desired to produce, this return of the cold air can take place either through the space com rised between the two stretches of the. en less band, or through the space situated under the lower stretch, or simultaneously through both these spaces;-'

.The separation between these various spaces is efiected by the endless band itself I which rests'with its edges upon horizontal surfaces carried by the sides of the box.

The passage from one space to the other at the end of the box is rendered possible by the provision of an enlargement of the p The cold air enters the apparatus through a hopper which distributes it over the ene tire width of the upper part of the box.

According to the present invention'it is an advantage to use always. the same air by causing it to travel in a closed circuit. This circuit comprises a fan for driving the air into arefrigerator situated immediately in front or the inlet of the air in the cooling conveyer. On leaving the refrigerator the air passes through an air-drying device before reaching the suction orifice of the fan.

Application filed July 17,

vention on t Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 26*, 1921.

1919; semi in. 311,606.

This arrangement has the advantage of constantly utilizing the same air which can therefore be kept as pureas possible, free from dust, microbes, etc. Moreover, the. cold still contained in the air issuing from the way of example a practical form of the invention. 1

Figure l is a longitudinal section of the improved apparatus according to this ine line A B of-Fig. 2..

Fig. 2 is aplan of the apparatus, after partial removal of the top or the box.

Fig. 3 is a partial section on the line CD of Fig. 2 drawn to a larger scale than Figs. 1 and 2. a

Fi 4 is a vertical cross section on the line F of Fig. 2. A

Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively a side elevation and a plan of the complete apparatus drawn to-a reduced scale.

I Theim roved apparatus comprises essen- I tially a c osedbox 4 and a conveyer composed of an'endless band 1 and two drums 2, 2'. The endless band passes around these drums and travels throughout the entire length of the box. These drums are situated are driven by any suitthe endless band and on its side walls with two U bars 14 fixed to longitudinals l0.

The webs of these bars serve to support the sides of the said stretch. Close to the point where the upper stretch passes out at 3 from the box, these bars are interrupted and the box is enlarged.

It is advisable to make a part of the sides 10,0

of thebox with double walls 11 (Figs. 2

and 3) for the purpose of improving the heat insulation of the apparatus, by reason of the provision of layers-or air 13. A good way of eifecting in this case the enlarge 106 r ment of the box, is to construct the corresponding portion of the sides in the form of a single wall as shown at 17.

This arrangement afi'ords an insulated space 12 abovetheupper stretch which is 110 conveyer is not lost because the air is re- I 3 of small hei ht and passes outof the Q bounded at the topby the top of the box and by the two sides of the box, and underneath by "the endless band and the webs of the U bars. Another space 8 situated below the upper stretch and limited laterally vby the side walls of the box and underneath air Suppl through a hopper 5 which distributes t e air over the entire width ofthe endless band. This hop r 5 is situated above the inlet of the end ess band into the box. The space 8v is connected to the air exit trunk' 9 situated on' 'a' level with the air inlet. The upper stretch of the'endless band carrying the material to be. cooled enters "the box through a horizontal aperture box at 3 throng a Similar aperture. The

lower stretch enters the box in like manner through anaperture indicated at 15land leaves through a similar aperture 15' (Figs.

1 and 4). The material to be cooled is placed upon the endless band at 3. Where such material 1s. inclosed in molds which is the case with chocolate, such molds are placed upon the endless band. Y The air entering through the hopper 5 chocolate in trave inlg passes over the '11 per art of the layer of t rough-the s ace 12 in the direction of t e arrows-a. e current of air then passes through the apertures 7 and 7 in'the direction of the arrows b i into the space 8, and travels through this space in the direction of the over t e sides of the molds.

arrows c to pass out through the trunk 9. During its journey'the upper surface of the chocolate is cooled by the current of cold air in 12, and

its surface"v adjacent 'to theendless band is cooled by the current of cold air in '8.

When it is desired to cool "chocolate or other material contained'in molds, it is an members or sections separated from one another in the direction of the travel by narrow gaps. The cold air then asses artly' throu h a gap and can thus ow 1' It is to be'notedthat-the'U bars 14 that serve to effect the separation of the two spacesB and 12, also serve to support and guide theflupper stretch in the directions of its travel b preventmg-itfrom whip'ping. It'is anadvantage als'oto provide bars ewise 16 for supporting the said stretch in the.

vice 19 have the usual construction of those" kinds of devices employed in industry.

Havin now "particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention" and in what manner the same isto be formed, I declare that what, I claim is 1 A cooling apparatus, com rising a box; a conveyer composed of an endless band for carrying the materialto be cooled through said box; means for separati the s aces persituated, respectively, above an beneat the upper stretch of the endless band; and means for-causing a current of cold air to pass in one direction above the upper stretch-of said band and then beneath it in the opposite direction. p

2. A cooling apparatus,- com rising a box; a conveyer composed of an en less band for carrying the inaterialto be cooled through said box; horizontal supporting means carriedby' the side walls of the box and on which the edges of the upper stretch of the endless band are adapted to rest; and means for causing a current'o'f cold' air to pass in one direction above the upper stretch of saidband and beneath it in the opposite direction.

3. A cooling apparatus, com rising a box; a conveyer composed of an en less band for. carrying-thematerial to be cooled through said box; and horizontal sup rti'ng means carried by the sidewalls ot t e which the edges ofthe u per stretch of the aving an aperturedisposed in its upper portion adjacent one end thereof for admitting air into the stretch of the ban and havin air passages adjacent its other end to ena Ie the airto pass from said space below the upper stretch. In testimon 'whereofI 'aflix my signature in presence 0 two witnesses. v MAURICE MATHY. Witnesses:

LEONARD Lava,

ARNoLnmn MELIN.

box and on endlessband are adapte -to rest; said box advantage to constructthe endless'band of h ace above the-said upper, 

